Australian pilots land plane with ‘no engines’
April 14th, 2010 - 2:34 pm ICT by ANIMelbourne (Australia), Apr.14 (ANI): Two pilots saved over 300 passengers yesterday as they landed their plane after both its engines failed.
The captain and first officer battled for 20 minutes to keep the powerless Airbus 330 from plunging into the sea.
Colleagues hailed the Australian pair as heroes - saying it was a “miracle” that the 322 passengers and crew arrived safely in Hong Kong.
The Cathay Pacific plane’s left-hand engine died shortly after flight CX780 left Surabaya, Indonesia. Since Airbus planes are able to fly safely on one engine, the pilots continued to Hong Kong. But as the jet began its descent into the airport, its second engine repeatedly cut out.
With the engine dead, the plane dropped too low to make the runway - but when it restarted it pushed the plane too high, at speeds “far in excess of normal”.
The pilots half-glided, half-flew into Hong Kong International Airport then stopped the plane with reverse thrust, which set the tyres on fire. Just eight passengers were injured - most as they left on emergency chutes.
Hong Kong air chiefs launched a probe yesterday. (ANI)
- Pilots hailed as heroes for emergency landing in Hong Kong - Apr 14, 2010
- Plane makes emergency landing in London - Apr 16, 2012
- Qantas Airways' engine crisis continues - Nov 13, 2010
- Another Qantas plane makes emergency landing - Nov 13, 2010
- Hong Kong airline to replace 'fixed-back shell' economy seats after complaints - Oct 13, 2010
- Kingfisher flight makes emergency landing at Goa airport - Oct 24, 2011
- Canadian fighter jets escort Vancouver-bound Cathay flight after 'dud' bomb-scare - May 16, 2010
- Toilet blockages force Cathay Pacific Airbus to divert to Mumbai - Nov 25, 2009
- Dragonair to link Kolkata and Hong Kong - May 23, 2012
- Airlines warn against travel to snowed-in Britain - Dec 20, 2010
- Fighter jets escort Cathay Pacific Airways flight over phoned-in threat - May 16, 2010
- Qantas' woes continue as 'scary' cockpit fire forces Sydney-bound jet to divert to Cairns - Mar 24, 2011
- Pilots 'almost pass out' after taking off - Jan 09, 2012
- Leonardo DiCaprio in plane engine scare - Nov 23, 2010
- Pilot does belly landing after seeing it once on YouTube - Jun 04, 2010
Tags: air chiefs, airbus 330, airbus planes, cathay pacific, colleagues, fly, heroes, hong kong international, hong kong international airport, indonesia, land plane, melbourne australia, miracle, thrust, tyres